Geek Culture
HomepageGeek Culture's Reviews
Marvel Cosmic Invasion: The Siege of Castle Doom DLC won’t change a player's opinion on the main game, but it does serve its purpose well by introducing a new roguelike mode to switch things up, alongside giving players a taste of Doctor Doom before Avengers: Doomsday.
Phantom Blade Zero stuns with its dazzling KungFu Punk combat that feels as good as it looks, but clunky traversal and an overall lack of polish outside of battle mean that S-GAME’s debut title is still one step away from greatness.
In embracing and reinventing the old, Final Fantasy Resonance has crafted a charming, nostalgic adventure that will occupy a special place in the hearts of old-timers and genre traditionalists. Story is the weakest link here, but its visuals, music, and combat experiences set a new standard for the future of HD-2D.
Although the boss battles in Castlevania: Belmont’s Curse may be lacking and the story, predictable, other aspects like its game design, soundtrack, combat, and characterisation outshine its flaws and make them insignificant. The game is a delight to play and doesn’t shy away from letting players take their time unravelling the mysteries of 1944 Paris. It’s safe to say that Konami can boldly bring on the next chapter of House Belmont in future titles.
Clive Barker’s Hellraiser: Revival might mask its uneven gameplay systems behind the shock factor of its plentiful depiction of explicit nudity and gore, but at the end of the day, that’s what the Hellraiser franchise always was – a fun but flawed journey to the depths of human depravity and desire.
Gears of War: E-Day takes players back to Emergence Day, the pivotal Locust invasion that defined the franchise, and while this prequel modernises its gameplay for some of the most fluid action seen from the series to date, it loses the spark that makes it a Gears experience in the process.
Ace Combat 8: Wings of Theve marks a glorious return for the franchise after seven years, one that feels better to play and is more intense than ever before.
Control Resonant marks a risky genre shift for the franchise, one that comes with both improvements and downgrades, resulting in a sequel that, while enjoyable, isn’t able to reach the heights of its predecessor.
Even with its imperfections, Insomniac Games has still carved a new path in the modern superhero gaming genre with Marvel’s Wolverine, serving up a tightly crafted campaign that harks back to a simpler, less bloated time in gaming history.
Onimusha: Way of the Sword takes Capcom’s classic action franchise to new heights thanks to one of the most reactive melee combat systems seen in recent memory, although its blade is dulled slightly by overly complex progression systems.
It’s surprising to say that a fighting game can tell a great typical story five times over, and Marvel Tōkon: Fighting Souls has managed to do so. With such an accessible way to enjoy combat alongside tools to bridge the gap between newbie and pro, players of all skill levels will enjoy round after round as long as support for the game persists in the years to come.
Cementing its appeal in simplicity, Rhythm Heaven Groove packs an entertaining punch for both solo and co-op play. It makes sure to reward dedication and effort, and most importantly, proves that the spirit of fun hasn’t been eroded by time.
Ubisoft had already struck gold with the original 2013 title, and Assassin’s Creed Black Flag Resynced improves the experience even further with a notable graphical boost and meaningful additions.
The gaming beacon of light for Bond after decades, 007 First Light is proof that fortune favours the bold. In telling a memorable and enjoyable origin story, it has earned the licence to thrill with the promise of future outings, anchored by a well-crafted narrative, strong characterisation, and action-combat thrills.
Star Fox’s new additions might be hit or miss, but this remake succeeds in the most important way of all – delivering the original’s magic to the modern gaming audience.
While Lego Batman: Legacy of the Dark Knight’s implementation of its Arkham-inspired systems might leave much to be desired, its simplified nature does little to dampen the joys of collecting that Lego games are so well-loved for.
Even with some wonky animations and an overreliance on mind-numbing stealth sequences, players should still stick around and witness the Cassiopeia fall to chaos from its doppelgänger threat, as its payoff is more than worth it.
With a refreshing take on its familiar bullet hell foundations and a host of accessibility features to help players fine-tune their gameplay experience, Saros is more than just Returnal 2.0, it’s a spiritual successor that more players will be able to enjoy.
Little Nightmares VR: Altered Echoes takes everything fans love from the horror platformer franchise and lets them experience it in a whole new light. The only question now is, why didn’t they think of this sooner?
Mouse: P.I. For Hire will surely turn heads for its impressive noir aesthetic and hand-drawn animations, but it’s just a shame that beneath all the fluff lies just an “okay” Boomer Shooter.